kiragecko's XMen
by kiragecko
Summary: A bunch of nonsequential, standalone stories set in my own universe. Sorry it took so long to update.
1. Intro

**kiragecko's X-Men  
Intro  
**by kiragecko

Okay. This is sort of the same idea as Ultimate X-Men – start over with a bunch of characters and see what happens. It isn't written by Mark Miller, however, it's written by me, so instead of sadistic violence and sarcasm it's angst, eccentricity, and character interaction. (Lots of angst. There should be angst warnings.)

If it's funny its probably me making fun of myself – Kitty is me in disguise.

The stories aren't sequential. I don't have a long enough attention span to write a thirty part epic so I just be doing the exciting parts as they interest me. This mean it might take a while to find out how a character joined, how old they are, or why they act like they do.

Each story is mostly stand alone. You'll definitely understand more if you read them all, but it isn't necessary.

I might give you a chronology eventually, if this gets complicated enough, but I'm sure you're smart enough to figure it out on your own. If I get too far into the future I'll start "kiragecko's X-Men – Five Years Later".

It's rated Teen because Wisdom swears (in British) and Jubes hasn't had a happy life. People cry. It's sad.

No more random babble, on with the story!


	2. Near Catastophy

**kiragecko's X-Men  
A Near Catastrophy**  
by kiragecko

_You're not free of the random babbling yet! First: X-Men not mine, even if I changed them. If they were mine I'd have a responsibility to them and that's wouldn't be no fun. Second: ... I forget. There was going to be one but you'll survive. Get used to it, I can't remember anything for more then a minute. Enjoy the story._

It was a quiet evening in the Mansion. The inhabitants had been spared Bobby and Hank's ridiculous melange of Master's level physics and juvenile comic references as Bobby had dragged Hank to yet another plotless action film. Jubilee had whined all through the day and Logan had finally given in and taken her out for hamburgers and far too much sugar. Most of the other residents were now enjoying the momentary peace - and making bets onto which twosome was going to be the most impossible the next morning. They had just come to the conclusion that endless bad movie quotes was horrible but a wired firecracker with happy meal toys was the most dangerous force known to mutantkind when the silence was broken by the sound of pounding feet and sobbing. Katherine Pryde went flying past the rec room, her feet two inches below floor level.

"Kitty, what's wrong?"

She stopped, and turned beat red when she saw the mixed party.

"Ummmmm…"

Betsy and 'Ro gave each other The Look. Ten seconds later a confused huddle of guys were watching three departing backs. They waited for a while, but the girls showed no inclination to return and the guys were eventually forced to put on a movie nearly as bad as the one Bobby and Hank were paying money to watch.

Kitty's saviours had their work cut out for them. There were many umms and embarrassed looks before she admitted what was troubling her. She was going on a Date. With The Guy. And she had no clue what to wear. If something didn't happen she was going to have to go like she was!

This was a Crisis. Going like you were was never acceptable. It was even more a no-no when you were dressed in comfortable cargos and a sweater that was three sizes too big and old when you got it from the thrift store. A quick survey of the closet was taken. It was empty, except for a ragged jacket and a bride's-maid's dress. The drawers disclosed more too-large tees and ancient sweaters. The one pair of pants that had once been nice now boasted two impressive stains, clearly gotten at different times. The slacks had been worn after the first stain!

Kitty watched them silently. She was panicked, now. She always ended up in this condition before his visits. Usually she at least had her nice shirt, though. If only she hadn't worn it on Tuesday!

Finally her companions shared another Look. 'Ro gave Kitty a comforting pat and disappeared with Betsy. They returned several minutes later with clothing from their own wardrobes.

"No. Um, I really like your clothes Betsy, really, but um… they're a bit small. They wouldn't cover anything!"

"That's the point."

"No! Please, I'll find something; I'll be okay."

"Come on, Kitty. You would look beautiful in a sarong."

"That's for the beach!"

"No, this is for the beach. Try it on."

"I'm not wearing your bra!"

"It's a bikini top."

"'Ro, please!"

"This top matches you complexion perfectly."

"'Ro, it doesn't HAVE a top! It just sorta stops!"

The battle went on. Kitty was dressed and undressed like a Barbie doll, bouncing between the two mutants so quickly that she couldn't form any coherent objections. At least until Betsy ambushed her with a scrap of hot pink material.

"Get that thing away from me! I don't know what it is but I'm NOT wearing pink. Anyways, it isn't big enough to be a handkerchief, much less a piece of clothing! I'm not going out there naked and I don't know what time it is but I have to be downstairs at eight."

It was 7:45. A cyclone hit the unsuspecting Kitty. Now her tormenters were working together, making cryptic comments to each other and starting sentences that petered off into communal nodding or shaking of their heads. The intangible mutant gave in and tried to figure out what was going on. It was obvious SHE was not being asked what she wanted to wear.

Then Ororo was on her hair and Betsy was holding up jewelry. Both seemed rather put out by Kitty's unpierced ears and she found herself somehow feeling guilty. It wasn't until a small bow was produced that she managed to get control of herself.

"No makeup."

To her shock they gave in.

"Her face has a luminescence all its own. She'll be fine."

"The effect isn't too bad."

A mirror was produced. Kitty stared. She was beautiful.

She was broken from her reverie by a soft hand on her shoulder.

"The doorbell is ringing."

She kind of messed up the stairs and had trouble on the corner but the wall didn't slow her down and she managed to turn eventually. Then it was a strait line to the front door, not really noticing two walls, a table, and a pretty lamp that she somehow caught and knocked over. She didn't really notice the door either. He was prepared, however, and caught her at she went through. She was laughing and talking and he opened the door himself and dragged her after him. He already had her coat out of the closet and was preparing to slip her in it when he noticed her manner of apparel.

"Pryde?"

"…and it HAS been so long and I wish you'd move here and who cares about your jo- What, Wisdom? What did I do?"

"Do? What? You…"

There was a snicker from the stairs. The man spun around.

"Bloody hell! D'you do this? Did you…." He made an expressive gesture in Kitty's direction, "get her up to this?"

There was a moments silence. Then he grinned.

"You guys are bloody miracle workers. I've got the most beautiful girl in the world and I come to see her and she's even more beautiful then I remembered! I might even forgive you for that evil spandex…thing, I saw her in."

There was another moments silence after he had turned back to Kitty. Then she was talking again, babbling with relief, and he laughed, man-handled her into her coat and led her out the door. He managed to wave casually over his shoulder as the door closed behind him, obviously interested in nothing other then the vision beside him.

The two watchers on the stairs let the silence fall again. Then, after the sound of the car faded in the distance, they started to laugh. Broken phrases about Kitty in a pink bikini, Wisdom's eyes popping out of his head, and the sight of Kitty flying through the wall without even slowing down managed to slip between the laughter and the gasping for air. High fives were exchanged. And the two young women set off for something else to spice up their evening. They could always try to convince the guys to watch "Titanic" again…

_Author's note: No, I will not describe her final outfit. I have about as much clothing sense as she does. I actually buy sweatshirts at Value Village purposely too large and worn out because they're more comfortable that way. I really need 'Ro and Betsy's help (but not Betsy's wardrobe, I will NOT wear pink!)._


	3. Sinister Flyers

**kiragecko's X-Men  
Sinister Flyers**  
by kiragecko

_More Kitty! Back because it's therapeutic to write someone even stranger then yourself. No more disclaimers, they're boring. Instead I'll give you a preview of "You Want HIM On The Team?", coming soon to your computer!_

_-Bobby grinned._

_-"Is he (or she, I'm not looking to get beat up, Betsy) super strong? I've been thinking about it and it would be great if we could have someone on par with Colossus, or -maybe even the Hulk! We could call him (or her)… Magesto (or Magesta, oww, Betsy) and he'd be like 'Magesto (or Magesta) smash puny building. Purple Head is -squished.'"_

_-"Bobby!"_

_-"I would have preferred you hadn't suggested a female could be that stupid. Or have such an awful name."_

_-"Magesta is a cool name, Betsy. Way better then Whisper."_

_-"You will be taking that back, of course."_

_-"Ughummhuh…of course?"

* * *

_

It was real. Kitty had gone through the system three times now and the results had been unanimous. Someone had tapped into the computer system. Someone was spying on them. And this wasn't even the worst insult! The program was built into the system and disguised to look harmless. It had obviously been done by a professional and put in place during the original setup of the system. The people who had been trusted to create the network had done this. Her colleagues. And it had taken her over a month to notice!

Fifteen minutes later Kitty was confused and three times as angry. The place that had installed the network didn't exist. There was a name and address, a sort of website, and a lot of clever screens and tricks but the address didn't exist, the website had no actual information and the screens hid nothing. Miss Katherine Pryde, the youngest computer scientist ever to graduate from MIT, was not about to be deterred by something as simple as this. Her fingers flew over the keyboard.

While in high school she had often entertained her friends by finding information people might not have wanted her so see - hacking, in other words. She and Doug had easily penetrated CIA, FBI, and SHIELD security, naming only a few of the American organizations. Since coming to the mansion she'd been catching up on what she'd missed during college - the X-Men seemed quite interested in SHIELD especially.

Finally she had an address and a different name. She'd tell them what she'd found and see what they did. She was looking for abject apologies, a promise that the perpetrator had been sacked, and a return of all private information.

They sent nothing, not even a response that they'd seen the message. She sent another. Same result. She gave them five more minutes. Ten minutes after that she was out of the mansion and on her way to New York. She was so busy wondering why everything in the world seemed to be located in New York that it never occurred to her that she might want to leave a note. To be fair, it is unlikely she would have thought of it anyways.

* * *

The building seemed to be a warehouse. It didn't have any computers that Kitty could see. She was confused, frustrated, and not a little angry. There was going to be an explanation as to why a company obviously not fit to setup a network had gotten into her home and tampered with its integrity. 

When Kitty was upset (or distracted, or tired) she forgot to watch where she was going. As a result several walls were quickly left behind and she was nearing lost. The walls had changed to stainless steel, cages filled the rooms she wandered through, and it didn't seem like it was likely the building was a warehouse. More like a laboratory. Some of the cages made noise.

Looking at cages made it difficult to watch where she was going and suddenly Kitty found herself inside one of the little cells. There was a hiss, a flash of colour, the feeling of SOMETHING on her skin, and then nothing. She phased through the rest of the cage and looked inside. There was nothing there.

Thoroughly disoriented, she continued her wandering. What was this place? The cages were left behind, but not before several strange animals were glimpsed - things that would have looked comfortable in medieval stories - including a burning lizard, probably a salamander, if she'd read her Bestiaries properly.

Without warning, shots rang out. Kitty was phased, of course, (she generally was, unless there were computers around - they didn't like her walking through them) but was shocked into stillness. Someone had tried to kill her! A green haired woman startled her back into action. The woman was only two steps through her before Kitty had spun around, gun raised. The resulting fight would make little sense put into words. There were at least five people shooting at Kitty, and not all of the weapons were guns. One was definitely a harpoon, for example. Deadly objects were flying everywhere and she was shooting mostly at random. Something purple kept flickering around the corner of her vision. For a while she chased a pale man, who looked to be in charge, but she felt wrong shooting him and he was faster then her. There were several explosions as ammunition hit unintended targets. I won't explain this; instead I'll talk about Kitty's gun.

After her powers had manifested, Kitty had found it difficult to hit men with ideas during walks at night to clear her head. Blunt and sharp objects passed through them without satisfying thuds or slicing sounds. The problem was everything that she was in contact with phased when she did. The solution was a gun. Bullets could be as intangible as they wanted all long as they were inside the weapon. Once they left, however, they had to become solid. This made life much easier for someone who was known to walk through rooms filled with drunk, angry, thugs without even noticing.

After some time, she found herself outside, with a gun trained on the white skinned man. She yelled at him for a while, berating him for spying on them and DARING to touch HER COMPUTER SYSTEM. Explosions were going on in the background, people were running, and something warm was perched on her shoulder. She ignored it all.

Then SHIELD was there and General Fury. She explained things to him while gesturing with the gun (several people were traumatized and it took Fury two hours to piece together the rather random narrative). The green haired woman and most of her companions were found (the word 'marauders' was tossed around) and Fury was yelling at her for being so stupid and cages were being brought outside (everything that could explode already had) and then Wisdom was there and yelling at her for being so stupid and holding her and then the X-Men were there even though SHIELD had promised to arrest them and THEY were yelling at her for being so stupid except for Jubilee, who had yelled cool, raced towards her, and taken off after the object that had flown from Kitty's shoulder. It was a dragon.

* * *

It was three hours before the chaos was replaced with the peace of the computer lab. Lockheed had returned to his perch on her shoulder. He was beautiful, Kitty thought. A thin, snake like body, four slender legs, a snake's head on a delicate neck, translucent wings rising from his back. He'd tried to burn Jubilee, fire bursting from his nostrils, and everyone had laughed because she deserved it. Now, however, he was cooing in Kitty's ear, a little forked tongue darting in and out and tickling her. The nasty spyware was deleted, her computers were pure again, and someone else was dealing with the nasty man. She started an e-mail. 

-Hey everyone! I just fought my first bad guy today, this creepy sinister guy who tried to spy on us. He messed up my network! Anyways, Mr. Creepy Sinister had a mad scientist lab -and was doing weird genetic experiments! Isn't that cool! Elijah, I'm sending you some of the stuff I found while everyone was arguing - it might give you ideas of stuff to invent. Can -you come down soon? I need a lock that Jubes can't fry. I'm sending you his program, Doug, isn't it freaky? You SO have to give me one I can install without physical proximity. -Stevie, thanks for the practices. It stinks I can't make it to the studio but practicing dance here is almost as good. Anyways, I've got to feed Lockheed and I'm not sure what he eats. -Or where his mouth is. I've seen his tongue but no mouth so far. This might be difficult.

-Bye,

-Kitty

* * *

_Bestiary - a sort of encyclopaedia made in medieval times, containing all the known animals in the world, many of whom didn't actually exist_


	4. Shards

**kiragecko's X-Men  
Shards**  
by kiragecko

_No jokes this intro. Here's a few pieces of a character's psyche.  
_

The hall was empty except for the image in the mirror. She watched it silently, the minute shifting as muscles stretched and relaxed, the smooth, blank face, the eyes…

She wasn't sure about the eyes. Not that it was important. She had come here for a reason - she wanted to see herself. She wanted to remind herself of what to come back to.

The eyes didn't close but they stopped seeing. They searched for a butterfly with pink wings.

* * *

There were only shards. Shards of broken rose glass spreading before her. She reached down to touch one and gasped as it slit her skin. She was bleeding. She tried again, a new gash. They were too sharp to touch, cutting into her without hesitation. The remains of who she had been. 

She would not lose this fight, she did not lose fights. She stared at the splinters, weighing options. She was a telepath, a telekinetic, a warrior, a woman. A telekinetic, that was the one. She looked at the pieces and willed the largest one to rise.

* * *

Betsy had grown up in the English countryside, in a house bearing the family name. _So many pieces, where to start? _She climbed trees when she was young, higher then her brother and faster, as well. She fell when she was six, broke her arm. _That one. It will do._ Brian ran to get help. When the cast was off she climbed the same tree, even higher, knowing she had to beat it. He cried out from its base, screamed when the branch she was on broke. _Tiny shards, but those ones will do, they're the right shape_. Another break, another wait, the tree filling her mind. She…. _What happened then, where is the piece?_

_A new thought then_.

When she was nine she climbed a cliff near her boarding school. She fell and hurt her ankle, knew she would get in trouble if they found out. Managed to walk without a limp for three days, until the weekend. Brian told on her and the doctor said it was badly sprained. He made her use crutches. _ The piece is large, four years of the school and its restrictive unif_...

"Betsy?"

_uniform. It is difficult to lift into pla_...

"Betsy, what are you doing?"

_It didn't break. Lift it again._

"Please talk to me. Why are you staring at the mirror?"

_Try again_...

"Betsy!"

* * *

The young woman turned on silent feet, facing the one who had interrupted her. 

"Yes, Ororo? Do you have a reason for speaking to me?"

The other faltered for a moment and before she could collect her thoughts she was alone.

"Please have a reason next time."

* * *

Betsy first felt the brush of his mind when she was thirteen. He tried to pass by but she caught him, demanded to know why he invaded her space. Introductions followed. _A little piece, not important. _He tried to bypass her again when forming his team but she did not lose fights. She would be friend or enemy, nothing in between. She had fifteen years of stubborn pride behind her. _A center piece. It has been broken in half but will stay together when this is whole. _Her parents were no problem, but Brian… She said goodbye, did not cry, watched the light in his eyes die. _A bit of poetry, she thought. It slides in here…_

_Bleeding again. Got too close.

* * *

_

"Betsy, look at me. Do you even see me?"

"Why do you ask, Scott?"

"…"

"Goodbye, Scott."

"No!"

He mumbles, "I'm no good at talking."

He had turned beat red when she kissed him at their first meeting. _It looks like it would fit easily into a person's palm_. She swept past him, demanded a tour. Alex glared at her, tried to say no. It wasn't his choice. _The tour, the first sight of the mansion, it fits into the center as well._

"Look, we're worried about you. You're so distant."

She had flirted with him constantly, a prize to be won. She had flirted with all the males, excepting Bobby, who was only thirteen, and the Professor, who was too old. _All unimportant, something else_. New dresses were bought, smaller, sexier, but he never noticed. Only when she touched him, brushed against him, whispered to him. Alex tried to be between them at all times, his first impressions crystallizing quickly into hate. She simply smiled and blew kisses to him as well. _An important piece is close, but where?_ Ororo had been annoyed by her actions. Dressed in a strange mixture of flowing fabric and black leather, the Kenyan New Yorker had almost settled on hate as well. Trips to the mall were disastrous. At least until they took Kitty. _I can not lift this piece, there is too much rubble. Relationships. Clothing. Girly stuff. Is this important?_ Kitty was so impossible they forgot their differences to instruct her.

"We need to talk, Betsy. What's happened to you?"

_Leave the relationships for now. Perhaps it is not important that such things are remembered and understood.

* * *

_

She had designed her costume with a harem influence - baggy sleeves and legs gathered at wrists and feet, slender, bare stomach framed by bands at her waist and below her chest. The team colours were red, black, and gold and so her costume had been as red as blood. _So many shards at the thought of blood. A kaleidoscope of colour and shape_. It had been sensual without showing a lot of skin. Now her costume was black. A tight bodysuit that covered her to her neck, sleeveless and rising sharply to show a lot of leg. Tall boots and opera gloves were also black. The only colour was the badge. _That's important, the badge. Slide it into place, alongside the blood from when Kurt hurt himself and Alex's gaze when she first modelled the new costume. Now, more blood._

On her final mission they had fought Magneto's pawns. Sabertooth and Wolverine had squared off and she had gone after Toad. She hadn't heard Sabertooth break away, didn't notice his leap. The claws had passed through her without pain, only a sound. _Stop._ There had been blood. Her costume wasn't the colour of blood, for it had changed as liquid soaked it, gotten darker. _Stop_. Wolverine had come, attacking Sabertooth, who rolled off of her. She had been picked up by tiny hands, a pale face looking down at her. _Stop_. That was Majik. She was the enemy. The enemy had handed her to Spiral and she had tried to get away but they weren't fighting anymore. There wasn't anywhere to fight. _Pick up the pieces. The rubble. Put it together. Make a whole_. Majik had told Spiral to save her life. She hadn't said how. She hadn't said 'be kind'. Spiral didn't know what kindness was. Spiral saved her life. The broken body was cast aside, a new one was found. The mind was taken from its home and placed in its new one. The mind requires a gentle touch. It shattered. _So much dust. So many pieces that will never be.

* * *

_

There had been tears. _Why?_ They had stared at her. _There is no need to pick up these pieces, leave them. _

_Why?_

Kitty had cried when she got her present. _Leave it._

_Why?_

Brian had cried when she left. _Leave it._

_No._

Brian had cried as she left and she had laughed at him so she wouldn't cry as well. _Why?_ She hadn't called him after she left, not wanting the feelings his voice would bring. _What feelings?_ Had sent him letters instead. _Pieces. Smaller now. The major pieces are in place._

She had laughed with Ororo when Kitty asked them why cargo pants weren't acceptable for a date. _Why?_ She had laughed with Kitty when the chain on 'Ro's belt got caught on a tree and she'd been tethered there like a kite. _Why?_ She had run after Bobby, laughing, when he filled her bed with ice cubes and called it a water bed. _Why?_ She had laughed until she cried - _Why?_

_Leave them_.

_No. I want to know why._

Brian had always been there for her and she had been jealous, watching Alex and Scott. _Why?_ Logan and Jubilee reminded her of her father and that made her sad. _Why?_ Scott made her angry when he bossed her around_. WHY?_ She felt such joy as she leapt through the air, sword raised in attack. _Pieces, so many pieces, where do they go? Why do I want to leave them? Why do I want to hide?_

She - _There. There. Over there. Pick these up. And those go there. And make sure the dust doesn't get lost, it will fit somewhere as well.

* * *

_

Elizabeth Braddock dropped to her knees, tears spilling down her face. She leaned against the mirror, needing its support. She cried the months of silent pain into her hands. She cried the broken soul that would never entirely heal. She cried for the self she had lost.

Then she dried her eyes and went to the phone. She needed to talk to her brother.


	5. Movie Night

**kiragecko's X-Men  
Movie Night**  
by kiragecko

_Fluff. Had fun writing it._

_giveGodtheglory : I realized that every female character I'm using has unnaturally coloured eyes. Betsy's are staying purple so I played enee-menee-minee-mo with 'Ro's and Jubes. Jubes lost because she can't do the cool white eye thing. So she gets brown._

"Come on, Hank."

"Bobby, have I not made myself clear? I will not be leaving these hallowed halls for nocturnal mischief and hijinks."

"Haaaank. Come on. It'll be fun. You need to see the sun once in a while."

"Which is why you force afternoon perambulations upon me. I doubt there will be much sun after dusk."

"Why won't you come? It's Star Wars!"

"A shallow imitation after years of coagulation in the mind of its creator."

"Star Wars!"

"…"

"Yoda with a light sabre."

"…"

"Bobby, is it possible you have not seen me? Are you blind! I look like a cross between an ape and a blue shag carpet! Why do you wish to torture me? Do you WANT a mob?"

"…"

"We can watch a movie inside."

"No! I'm sick of hiding down here all the time. It's not healthy for you! We can… we can… costumes! We'll wear costumes! You can be Chewbacca!"

"…"

"'Kay?"

"You do realize that Chewie isn't even IN this movie?"

"Ya, ya. Let's get costumes."

"And he isn't blue?"

"So?"

"We'll stay inside."

"I've got some Mickey Mouse ears somewhere, I'll wear those. Maybe a tail."

"Mickey Mouse?"

"I've got a great idea! I've got these great glasses you can wear, you know with the funny nose and moustache?"

"…"

"You don't think the blue fur is enough, Bobby?"

"You are the best friend ever, Hank. Let's head to the movies!"


	6. You Want HIM On The Team?

**kiragecko's X-Men  
You Want HIM On The Team?**  
by kiragecko

_And now to actually let people know what's going on. Hopefully the next couple stories will set up the world a bit better. And Canada isn't always cold, unless you're from California. They're in Northern Ontario, which is like Northern Manitoba, Saskatchewan, or Alberta except it has slightly more people and is quite a bit warmer. Most of Canada doesn't have that many trees. Not that you care, but I hate people thinking all of Canada looks the same._

_Another note: I have now updated this story but I still want to thank my amazing beta'er, giveGodtheglory. I was so excited to get these three stories up I did it without her final okay on this one. Please forgive me, wonderful gift from the Lord :(__  
_

The team was shocked into silence by their benefactor's entrance. In the month and a half they'd been together they had seen him once since recruitment. Scott usually talked to him telepathically. He looked impressive in his thing-that-had-been-a-wheelchair-before-Kitty's-friends-got-a-hold-of-it. His head gleamed in the fluorescent lights of the danger room. If he had steepled his fingers and laughed maniacally he would have been a textbook villain. Instead he coughed politely.

"I have traced down the final member of your team."

They hadn't known they needed a final member. Bobby grinned.

"Is he (or she, I'm not looking to get beat up, Betsy) super strong? I've been thinking about it and it would be great if we could have someone on par with Colossus, or maybe even the Hulk! We could call him (or her)… Magesto (or Magesta, oww, Betsy) and he'd be like 'Magesto (or Magesta) smash puny building. Purple Head is squished.'"

"Bobby!"

"I would have preferred you hadn't suggested a female could be that stupid. Or have such an awful name."

"Magesta is a cool name, Betsy. Way better then Whisper."

"You will be taking that back, of course."

"Ughummhuh…of course?"

* * *

Alex piloted the plane, Scott by his side. Others, Ororo especially, had complained that he was too young, at fourteen, to be risking all their lives like that. Scott asked if they'd rather be flown by someone who hadn't taken any lessons - maybe YOU'D like to risk all our lives. Everyone was now taking lessons - from Alex.

There were too many trees to land near the mutant. Forest stretched as far as the eye could see, unbroken except for a few clearings and a road cutting across it - the TransCanada Highway. Whoever this was didn't like company.

"Okay, everyone, be pleasant. Iceman, NO Canadian jokes. Actually, don't talk at all. And don't mention Magesto."

"How about Mag- I'm not saying anything Storm, really!"

"We don't know anything about this person except that he's powerful. Be cautious, don't make him angry."

They were walking through the woods now. Alex had a strange device in his hands and was conferring quietly with his brother. Storm had asked Whisper why a non-powered human was on the team but had only gotten a secretive smile from her companion. Alex was a question to everyone. Not even Whisper was sure of the answer. Perhaps if the professor wasn't so strict about psychic probes…

A gesture from Cyclops brought everyone to a halt. He spoke loudly.

"Hello. We don't mean you any harm. We wanted to talk to you. Could you come out into this clearing we're in?"

There was a low growl.

* * *

Jubilee was talking frantically now, her voice low.

"Come on, Wolvy, let's just ignore the stupid guys. We don't need to kill them. Anyways, if you go running out there I'd be left undefended so I'd have to come too and then people would shoot at me and you'd get REALLY mad and…"

It would have worked if the idiots hadn't started coming over.

He launched himself out of the cover they were in and Jubilee, true to her word, followed. They didn't shoot her, however. The black lady shot Wolvy.

Storm had panicked at the sight of one hundred and eighty pounds of anger and sharp objects. The lightening bolt hit him and less then two seconds later she was falling out of the air, crying with pain.

"You stupid idiot! What do you think you're doing, hitting him? I was trying to calm him down and you shot him and now he's gonna try ta kill you and GET BACK, don't be stupid, you can't stop him, you'll die and I'll be mad and there'll be blood EVERYWHERE and Wolvy they're just stupid idiots don't worry about them, they aren't worth it…"

Cyclops spoke softly, "Get back."

"Storm's out."

"Carry her to the trees. Everyone, let her work."

Ten minutes later they were talking congenially from either sides of the clearing. At least the X-Men were congenial.

"Dumb jerks. You shot him! What are you doing here anyways?"

The him in question was leaning against a tree, arms crossed, watching them. He hadn't said a word.

"We are here to offer him, and you, a place at our school. I'm terribly sorry for what happened to your partner."

"We aren't interested."

She turned at some signal the others didn't see.

"We aren't, Wolvy. It's probably a trap and even if it isn't who wants to go to some stupid school?"

Again, there was nothing anyone else could see. Storm wondered if the girl was having a conversation with herself. This 'Wolvy' didn't inspire confidence that he even knew how to talk.

"We're not going. There's no reason to."

"Money."

Okay. He could talk.

"We're doing just fine out here!"

"Ya want clothes."

This wasn't surprising. The girl was dressed in rags and a huge fur coat, stained and dirty. She looked about eight, with shaggy black hair and flashing slanted brown eyes in a pixy like face. Beneath the dirt she was probably Asiatic.

"I can get clothes."

"How?"

"Steal them."

'Wolvy' looked at the X-Men for the first time.

"What ya want from me?"

* * *

Jubilee had been livid when she found out they wanted him to fight. Sparks had danced around her and she had almost blasted Cyclops the same way she had Storm. Her partner had touched her shoulder softly, however, and she had spun around and marched into the trees.

"I'm not going. You'll have ta beat me up to get me on that plane, Wolvy! You gonna do that?"

"Go without you."

"You wouldn't!"

"They'd come pick ya up in a couple'a days."

"I hate you! You're an idiot!"

She had been glaring at everyone for an hour now. Scott and 'Ro go the worst of it. Kurt hadn't been able to figure out what was going on (his English was still almost nonexistent), so Betsy had filled him in, obviously finding the entire situation highly amusing. Bobby had taken up the challenge of getting conversation from a stone.

"So, short, dark, and kind of ugly, what's your name? I'm Bobby, also known as Iceman and I figure calling you 'Wolvy' is likely to get me killed."

"Shut up."

That was Jubilee.

"Kid, be nice."

That was short, dark, and kind of ugly.

"Well?"

It was obvious that the guy wasn't going to shut up, so Jubilee answered.

"It's short for wolf."

"Bit small for a wolf. More like a wolverine."

That was Betsy. She turned back to Kurt. Jubilee was out of her seat.

"Kid, it's a good name. Wolverines are nasty. Never let go."

"Still gonna kill her."

"Naw. Give 'em your name."

More glares.

"Fine. I'm Jubilee. I'm twelve years old and I'll blast the next person that insults Wolvy. So don't talk!"

The last part was directed at Bobby. He grinned.

"Want gum?"

The pack of gum in her hands (and Bobby complaining in the background that he'd only meant a piece), the tiny girl calmed down.

"Want some, Wolvy?"

He shook his head. She was the only one who could tell he was smiling.

"It's been forever since I had gum. I want to go to McDonald's, 'kay, Wolvy? And shopping. And I want a discman. And no more cold, I hate Canada. And we go back to California the second we got enough money. We never come back here again. And maybe KFC, too. Or Burger King, I'm not picky. And I get to sleep in a bed! But I don't have to like anyone, do I?"

This time everyone could see Wolverine grin.


	7. Goddess on Earth

**kiragecko's X-Men  
Goddess On Earth**  
by kiragecko

The ground was rough and the wheelchair bounced and clattered as Scott pushed it down the street. The Professor gave him directions, pictures appearing in his mind. It would be soon now; they had crossed the border half a block back. And there they were, three black men with long blades, circling the two of them with long practice.

"What you doin' on our land?"

"We wish to see the Goddess."

The Professor does the talking. Scott waits until the command to move. He's been his mentor's legs for years now and it is a natural, comfortable thing.

The streets are narrow and they go around many corners on their way to the temple. The area is improving with every step. Surfaces are clean and have new paint. Buildings look well kept up. People obviously care. They don't seem particularly interesting to much of the pedestrian traffic, a few kids stare but adults don't seem to notice. This is odd because they are the only white people in the area. These streets are ninety percent African immigrants and ten percent indigenous blacks.

The temple is raised from the surrounding street. For the first time Scott is bothered. He was ready to fight if necessary before, he's always ready to fight, but he was hoping he wouldn't have to do this. There's no choice, the wheelchair won't climb the stairs. With a sigh he picks up the older man. The Professor's chuckle is dry.

"It doesn't bother me, you know."

Scott nods. It only bothers him.

* * *

The tiny room is dark. A single skylight lights it. They wait, Scott on one of the benches provided. One of their escorts carried the wheelchair up.

The escorts have left. You see the Goddess alone.

For a moment the light is blocked by the figure gently descending through it. Rays of light seem to spill off of her. Hair and dress billow around her. A gust of breeze rustles Scott's hair.

"Why have you entered Storm's domain?"

"Who is here to listen?"

"We are alone."

He coughs, preparing for his speech.

"You are, I think, here for your people. To protect them in their new land, give them strength for a safe, proud life. In what used to be the ghetto you have created a thriving community. Few dare to attack your borders, knowing they'll face your wrath. You have given your life, your humanity, for these people. You wear a mask you can trust no one to know about.

"You have done all this for those you consider your people. I have a question for you: what if you discovered you had another people? What if you discovered that they were being killed and worse? What if you discovered that they need protection even more then this community?

"There was a girl in Kentucky. Her neighbours discovered she could remove her skin to find another material beneath. They killed her. Her family wasn't allowed to bury the body. A young man in Washington was killed by his father when it was discovered he had wings. A girl in Maine with pink skin disappeared. The government refuses to mount a search.

"There are more people like this and they are afraid and angry. Someone needs to be there to tell them that it won't help to form a gang to fight other gangs. That we need to rise above that. We need to help who we can and stop who we can. We must think, not just murder anyone who looks at us wrong. We need to be better and stronger then our opponents. We need to work together."

The woman stares at the bald man across the room. Winds whip through cracks in the walls and there's the sound of running outside. They sound is headed away from the temple. Silence stretches between the two. Finally the woman speaks.

"Prove who you are."

"Take us to the roof."

She lifts him with a gust of wind and Scott with another. Scott is allowed to stand in the rooftop garden, his companion remains cradled by the wind.

"Scott."

The young man raises his head and removes the heavy black glasses. An glowing red arc burns the sky. He returns the glasses to their place. A voice echoes through the woman's mind.

-You do not have to abandon these people who follow you. They are ready to stand on their own; let them. Come once a week, twice a week, and protect your borders and answer requests. You have done a good work here. Start a new one.-

In the light he can see her better. Six foot tall, chocolate skin, white hair to her waist, eyes a surprisingly soft blue for a goddess who provokes terror in her opponents. She smiles sadly.

"This was not an easy fight. I will be sad to start a new one. The pain and suffering of both sides hurts me. Here, at last, there is peace.

"Yet I can not stand by where I can be of service. If you truly fight for peace I will stand by your side. Let me tell my priestess that she will guide my people and that I will return when needed."

She floats and then begins to disappear through the skylight. There is one final remark before she is gone.

"My name is Storm. You can call me Ororo."


	8. Useless

kiragecko's X-Men

Useless

by kiragecko

Scott sighed as he headed for the lab. He was tired of these useless visits. He was tired of the awkward conversations with an antisocial recluse. He was tired of holding his head perfectly still so the same piece of the ceiling was hit. He was tired of the lack of results and the knowledge that nothing was going to change. Soon, he hoped, the Prof. would give up and he could work on perfecting his communication with Alex, instead. If Alex was going to be his eyes they needed more practice. They still didn't quite work as one. Practice, instead of futile hope, was going to save him. Why couldn't the Prof. see that?

Hank was his usual surly self. Scott knew the man was a blue-furred ball of muscle - Alex had described him in detail, of course - but Scott couldn't figure out why the man was so touchy about it. Especially around someone who couldn't see him. There were the usual tests - various materials across his eyes, all vaporized the moment the eyes opened. Various chemicals inserted into his body, some of which made him queasy and all of which were useless. After the required hour he left. Dr. McCoy watched him go gratefully. Alex waited for him at the top of the stairs. They went on with their lives.

When the Professor had adopted them from the orphanage, Scott had been two days away from a surgery to remove his eyes. He hadn't been able to walk down a hall without hitting something. He hadn't been able to eat without missing his mouth several times. He had thought his life was over. Xavier had changed that. The two young boys had trained, several hours a day, to deal with their circumstances. Scott had memorized the mansion first. Then he had memorized parts of the town. Then he had learned how to walk as if he knew where he was, all the time. Alex had learned how to lead without seeming to lead, speaking a whispered shorthand while his casually draped arm guided his brother. They learned to trust each other and then need each other.

When he was happy with their progress the Prof. had shown them that Scott's eyes weren't only a curse. The blasts he generated could save as well. Alex and Scott learned angles and distances, split second reflexes, and how to fight. Scott protected his human brother, Alex guided the mutant. They lived by strict routine. Scott needed it to function. He needed to know at all times where he was and where he was going. If he got lost it was so hard to find himself again.

By the time Betsy arrived and the idea of the X-Men was mentioned, Scott could hit a penny being dropped 50 meters away. He and Alex were proud of that. Now, however, things were different. Now, he had an entire team to lead and it was hard. Alex still wasn't sure what to say and what should be left out. People asked questions that he didn't want to answer. Prof. Xavier had said that his graduation thesis was convincing the entire team he could see for the first year. If he could do that he and Alex would be ready for anything.

It would have been easier without McCoy, though. Without tests and hope and frustration that all took up time. It would be easier without the sad silence Alex went through after every session. Without Betsy sneaking around, trying to figure out where he was going. Soon, he hoped, Xavier would give up. Soon, he could accept that he was blind.


	9. Maybe a Name

**kiragecko's X-Men**  
**Maybe A Name**

by kiragecko

_Someone deals with their feelings by pretending they aren't there._

_ Sorry it took me so long to update. I've been gone all summer to a place where phone calls cost seven dollars a minute and the only way to get out is be float plane. No internet. Unhappy story. Sorry about that.  
_

"Wolverine, what is your name? I can't remember."

She sees in his eyes he wants to tell so she only hesitates a moment. She thinks that she can read his mind most of the time.

"That's 'cause he never tol' ya. Logan. He's Logan."

She grins and darts away, telling herself everything's fine, it takes more then a name to bother her. If she can just find Bobby it will be easy to forget. He's disappeared into the basement again. He doesn't let her come when he does that. She's frustrated, she wanted to forget about Wolvy, the look in his eyes, and the name. She decides to break into the Danger Room. That usually works. They say she's too young to use it and she has to fry a lot of electronics to get in. That means there's usually no safeguards…

Scott's in the Danger Room. He never turns the holographic display on when he works out and she wonders why. You can't see anything without it…

She heads outside, running now. Not that there's any reason to, she's not upset. The forest behind the school isn't much cooler then the lawn. She must be soft from all her time up north. What would it be like to go back home? Would she be able to stand the heat? She shakes the thought away.

Trees make almost as good of targets as the robots in the Danger Room do. Anger melts away as scorch marks decorate the surrounding landscape. She grins again and climbs one of the trees, back flipping from one of the higher branches. This whole place is a giant gymnastic set! She could get a lot of speed from the roof…

* * *

"Hi, Wolvy! You lookin' for me?" 

A somersault up to the roof turns into a three point landing in front of her partner.

"What's with'a trees?"

"Redecorating. Brown is so cliché. I thought black was a lot more unique."

"Sit."

"Hate sittin'. You sit; I'll hover over your shoulder."

Why'd he have to come? She was having fun. Frustration builds up again and she dances on tiptoe, a wild, spinning dance that collides with several of the blackened trees. She climbs one, monkey style, and hangs in his face.

"Don't remember my name, kid."

"It prob'ly ain't your name. Just the one you told me."

"Don't remember none o' that."

Who cares? It is't important. She hums to herself and pulls up grass, amusing herself by blasting it out of the air. Time passes. She doesn't look at him. Why couldn't Bobby have been there? Wolvy wouldn't be annoying her like this if he was around.

"Can ya tell me?"

"Sure. No problem. About how we met. Right."

Her voice wavers a bit and she winces. He'll have noticed that. He notices everything. She had been planning on lying but she realized she can't. To upset to lie. No, not upset, what's there to be upset about? She glares at the mansion and continues.

"Um… I was at the mall. You must o' seen the explosions, you know? You're suddenly asking all these guards and some police too why they're chasin' me and they say I was stealin' stuff. Gave me a chance to run which you can bet I took.

"I was hanging out by the back entrance 'til all the police left and the mafia jumped on you! There were like thirty guys with guns and I ran out to help you 'cause I was bored and you beat 'em up and I never even saw your claws! Then you said thanks, which was even funnier, don't you think? I laughed and one of the guys said I was dead and you looked a bit worried so I thought maybe I could get a ride to LA. So I looked all scared and begged you to save my life and you totally fell for it. But you weren't headed for LA so I had to keep thinking about reasons for you not to drop me off."

Playing around with him like that was great, she remembers. Why doesn't it work now? Why does she have to care?

"After a while you sorta forgot you were just lettin' me stay 'til the next town and I decided not to get out of the truck in LA and it was kinda fun just wanderin' around. Anyways, that's about it. Ya told me ya was Logan that first day and I said I was Julie and maybe you were lying like I was but you never gave me another one so maybe that's your name."

She's ringing her hands and looking at the ground now but a half smile is also touching her lips as she remembers those couple of weeks of fun.

"What happened?"

She stops. Looks at him for the first time since she started, just a glance, with burning eyes. She's not about to cry, she's not upset, just annoyed with him because this is stupid and she's tired of talking. She grins deliberately and continues, her voice bright and happy. It breaks halfway through but she simply speeds up, the last words coming in a single breath, running together.

"The jerks in the trucks came. They just started shooting you and you pushed me down and they just kept shooting and they were too far away for you to reach 'em and you fell down and they kept shooting. Jerks. Dumped you in a cage in the stupid truck and me in another and that was it."

They both glare at the sky for a while.

"Wraith was there?"

"Yah. Yah, he was. He was!"

"Night time."

"Uh huh."

…

…

"Shootin' didn't stop once we were in the trucks, did it?"

"No."

"They touch you?"

"I don't want to talk about it!"

And she's gone. Or at least she almost is. A hundred meters and then she stops.

"No. They never touched me. Never did nothin'."

"What they do?"

"Nothing!"

"Jubilee…"

"Nothing. All they had to do was look at me and you were on your feet. Then they could start again. Didn't have to hurt me, you were much more fun."

She leaves before she can start crying.

* * *

She heads for the Danger Room again, hoping it'll be open now. Then Bobby's beside her, joking like always, and so she grins and laughs at his jokes. They end up breaking in together and run a program way above his level. She rescues him a couple of times and a couple of times he rescues himself, doing things he wasn't sure he could do. They leave, exhausted and laughing at his "trademarked supervillain fighting patter". 

Logan is silent at dinner but Jubilee is as bright as ever. An exuberant little girl, almost bouncing in her seat as she waits for the beans. A chance remark turns into yet another good natured argument about whether she's old enough to join the team. She says something to Kitty and bursts out laughing when the phasing mutant jumps and has to ask for the question again. Somehow, despite everyone watching, she manages to nab three desserts. She's so wired they send her to bed early so they can breathe again. Betsy hears her bouncing on her bed far into the night.

* * *

She never did cry. There wasn't any reason to. Didn't sleep either. Sleep isn't that important. She rarely gets much anyways. No one will notice. Maybe there'll be a bonfire now with all the dead trees. That would be fun. She wanders to the kitchen for breakfast with a bounce in her step. She's happy. Of course she is. 


End file.
